


Nightly Routines

by AlannaofRoses



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Damian is a good kid, Gen, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2020-07-27 17:34:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20049895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlannaofRoses/pseuds/AlannaofRoses
Summary: When Grayson shows up at the Manor late one night, Damian knows something's wrong. He's just not sure how to fix it.





	Nightly Routines

The sound of a door opening in the hall drew Damian’s attention from his sketchbook. Setting his pencils aside with a frown, he rose to see who had invaded the Manor. The sound of low voices filtered through the cracked doorway as he moved towards it and Damian’s heart leapt. 

Alfred was murmuring gently to someone. The reply was too soft for Damian to make out, but he would know that soft cadence anywhere. 

Damian pulled the door open and stepped into the dim hallway. Alfred met his eyes with a raised brow from where he stood, one room over. Damian wrinkled his nose at the butler’s disapproving look, hiding his wrapped wrist behind his back. He’d been told to stay in and rest it tonight, which Alfred clearly knew he hadn’t been doing. 

He was glad he hadn’t simply taken the pain pills and fallen asleep now. It was Grayson’s door Alfred stood in front of. The eldest of the brood had been delayed coming for his usual visits by a sudden uptick in criminal activity in Bludhaven, and despite Damian’s requests, he had not been allowed to visit. It had been a little over two weeks since Damian had seen his mentor. If Damian had been another child, he might even have admitted to missing Grayson. 

Alfred, as always, seemed to understand. He gave Damian a gentle smile and nodded at the open doorway before departing. Damian made his way to Grayson’s door on silent feet. His Father’s first son was moving slowly around the room, following a nighttime routine that Damian knew well from their partnership. It was strange to see it here, in Grayson’s childhood bedroom at the Manor, instead of in the master bedroom of the Penthouse where they had lived while Bruce had been gone. So much had changed when Bruce had returned. 

Dick was moving stiffly, his normally fluid grace noticeably absent tonight, although a quick examination betrayed no obvious injury. Damian determined his brother was merely exhausted, which, while not ideal, was better than the alternative. He drank in the sight of his brother before calling to him softly.

“Grayson?”

Grayson startled, turning towards Damian. He looked even worse now, with the overhead light picking out the dark shadows under his eyes. He gave Damian a tired smile. “Oh, hey Dami. Thought you’d be asleep already.”

Damian frowned back at him. His voice, rough and strained, was the last clue he’d needed. Damian had only seen Grayson have a really bad episode once during the time Bruce had been gone, which Damian had eventually realized had more to do with Grayson’s ability to hide it than anything else. Still, he recognized the signs. 

“Is everything all right, Grayson?”

“Hmm?” Grayson held up a pair of sweatpants, eyed them critically, shrugged, and began to change. “Yeah, everything’s fine Dami. Didn’t mean to disturb you guys, I just wanted to be here for tonight.” He shrugged helplessly. He wouldn’t meet Damian’s eyes. 

Damian pursed his lips, thinking. The last time, or rather, the last time Damian knew about, Tim had been there. Damian had merely stood back as Tim had worked his magic, and in the morning Grayson had been back to his annoyingly cheerful self. But now Tim was out patrolling with Bruce, and Damian was the one here. Not for the first time, Damian cursed the fact that neither of his parents seemed capable of dealing with emotions in healthy ways. 

But Grayson was. And perhaps that was the solution Damian needed. 

“Grayson?” Damian stepped into the room firmly, waiting until Grayson glanced up at him before holding his arms out imperiously. “Since you are here, you may as well give me your usual good night hug.”

Grayson’s face went ten kinds of soft. He dropped the pillow he’d been plumping and hurried over, wrapping his octopus limbs around his younger brother warmly. For once, Damian permitted the hug to go on until Grayson finally released him, smiling for real this time. 

“Thanks, Dami.”

He already sounded better, and Damian felt relief loosen his chest. “Of course Grayson.”

Grayson’s face fell slightly as Damian pulled fully away, and the boy made another quick decision. “I realize it is late, Grayson, but as you missed you last planned visit I can’t imagine you have been practicing your Arabic as you should. Shall I read to you from where we left off?”

For a moment, Grayson looked like he might cry. Damian felt the knot in his chest move into his throat as he waited for a response. 

“I’d like that very much Damian.”

“Settle in then, Grayson.” Damian ordered, turning to the dresser and taking an extra moment to retrieve the book. When he turned around, Grayson was smiling again, folding into the bed. Damian climbed up beside him, resting his back against one of Grayson’s many pillows and opening the book of fairytales to the ribbon marker. 

He was only two pages in when Grayson fell asleep, a peaceful smile still on his face.


End file.
